Lions 2009: Lions tour a 'breath of fresh air' for Mears - Telegraph British and Irish Lions Rugby Lions 2009: Lions tour a 'breath of fresh air' for Mears England hooker Lee Mears admits that playing for the British and Irish Lions is the realisation of a life-long dream. Packing down: Lee Mears hits the scrum machine at practice Photo: INPHO/Dan Sheridan By Nick Pearce and agencies 3:00PM BST 28 May 2009 The Bath man has cemented his place as England's Test hooker and now he has his eyes on making the Lions number two shirt his own. Rugby aside, Mears said he has found getting to know his fellow tourists the most enjoyable part of touring so far. "It has been about getting to know everyone, and then just ironing out a few things about what we want to achieve and how we want to play," said Mears, a first-time Lions tourist. "It has been brilliant meeting all the boys and training with them - it's been a breath of fresh air, everything you expected.

"Playing against a lot of these guys is very different to sitting down to dinner with them!" BBC SPORT | Rugby Union | English | England 39-13 Pacific Islanders England 39-13 Pacific Islanders Tries: Sackey (2), Cipriani, Kennedy, Mears Cons: Cipriani (4) Pens: Cipriani (2) Pacific Islanders (10) 13 Tries: Rabeni Cons: Hola Pens: Hola, Bai By Rob Hodgetts Paul Sackey scored England's first try against the Pacific Islanders England impressed in a testing encounter with the Pacific Islanders to record their first win with former skipper Martin Johnson as coach. The home side scored first-half tries through Paul Sackey and Danny Cipriani before Nick Kennedy, Lee Mears and Sackey again went over after the break. Cipriani kicked 14 points, while Seru Rabeni crossed for the Islanders. But England, ahead 20-10 at half-time, will need to improve with the three big southern hemisphere nations to come.

England will rue squandering points when scrum-half Danny Care fumbled in the process of scoring and when Cipriani's charged down kick handed Rabeni his score. Johnson's men were also poor at the restart, handing easy points to the opposition, but there were plenty of positives, particularly from the new-look back three. We know we have to improve - Johnson England fielded four new caps in full-back Delon Armitage, wing Ugo Monye, inside centre Riki Flutey and second row Kennedy and the side as a whole looked unfamiliar in red shirts with white right sleeves at a two-thirds full Twickenham. The Pacific Islanders began with a form of haka and continued on the front foot to earn an early penalty but Pierre Hola's 40-yard kick came up short. Shortly after, Cipriani slotted three points and the home side stretched clear through Sackey's try. Fly-half Danny Cipriani had a mixed game for England The livewire Care made a snappy half-break and offloaded to Tom Rees on his shoulder. The open-side fed Cipriani whose long pass found Armitage out wide.

Armitage accelerated impressively and threw an overhead pass back inside to the supporting Sackey who scampered over. Cipriani converted but England made a mess of collecting the restart and the fly-half's attempted clearance kick off his left foot was charged down by Rabeni, who collected the loose ball to touch down. England players happy under new regime Midway through the period England should have gone further ahead but Care, chasing Sackey's kick ahead, fumbled the ball in the process of scoring. From the ensuing scrum England were awarded a penalty but skipper Steve Borthwick opted for another scrum. A further penalty came England's way and Care tried to go quickly but England were forced back and the move broke down. But when the home side earned another penalty, Cipriani stepped up to slot the three points. The score heralded a period of intense Pacific Islanders pressure, but England's defence remained resolute, and when Borthwick's men forced a penalty, Care took a tap deep inside his own half.

The scrum-half's quick thinking released Monye, who stepped out of Fijian Vilimoni Delasau's tackle and hit the afterburners before feeding Cipriani to score in the left corner. 606: DEBATE England have some light at the end of the tunnel Sausage1966 As before, though, England lost concentration at the restart and allowed the visitors to pour forward, setting up a penalty for Hola just before the break. Johnson's side struck again shortly after when Kennedy passed clean ball off the top of a line-out to Care, who sliced through the Islanders pack before feeding inside to Kennedy to score. Pacific Islanders replacement Seremaia Bai narrowed the gap for another three points but the game went off the boil in the third quarter as a raft of replacements hampered the flow. But England woke up the crowd after Monye's break set up field position and Bath hooker Mears crashed over. England scored again in the last five minutes when Sackey dived over despite an arm around his neck.

Johnson's men will be encouraged by their efforts but they will face a different test when they play Australia on 15 November, followed by South Africa a week later and New Zealand on 29 November. England: D Armitage (London Irish); P Sackey (Wasps), J Noon (Newcastle), R Flutey (Wasps), U Monye (Harlequins); D Cipriani (Wasps), D Care (Harlequins); A Sheridan (Sale Sharks), L Mears (Bath), M Stevens (Bath), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), N Kennedy (London Irish), T Croft (Leicester), T Rees (Wasps), N Easter (Harlequins).

Replacements: D Hartley (Northampton - for Mears, 75), P Vickery (Wasps - for Stevens, 58), T Palmer (Wasps - for Kennedy, 58), J Haskell (Wasps - for Easter, 69), M Lipman (Bath - for Rees, 67), H Ellis (Leicester - for Care, 75), T Flood (Leicester - for Cipriani, 75). Pacific Islanders: K Ratuvou (Fiji); S Tagicakibau (Samoa), S Rabeni (Fiji), S Mapusua (Samoa), V Delasau (Fiji); P Hola (Tonga), M Rauluni (Fiji, capt); J Va'a (Samoa), A Lutui (Tonga), C Johnston (Samoa), F Levi (Samoa), K Leawere (Fiji), S Naevo (Fiji), N Latu (Tonga), F Maka (Tonga).

Replacements: S Koto (Fiji - for Lutui, 69), K Pulu (Tonga - for Johnston, 58), H T Pole (Tonga - for Levi, 62), G Stowers (Samoa - for Maka, 17), S Martens (Tonga - for Raulini, 73), S Bai (Fiji - for Hola, 47), E Taione (Tonga -for Rabeni, 58). Bookmark with: BBC SPORT | Rugby Union | English | England 14-28 Australia England 14-28 Australia Try: Easter Pens: Cipriani 2 Drop-goal: Armitage Australia (12) 28 Try: Ashley-Cooper Con: Giteau Pens: Giteau 6, Mortlock By Bryn Palmer Giteau punished England's indiscipline with six penalties in a 20-point haul Australia illustrated the size of the challenge facing Martin Johnson as they inflicted the first defeat of the new England manager's reign at Twickenham. Fly-half Matt Giteau punished the hosts with six penalties, Stirling Mortlock adding another long-range effort.

England trailed 12-11 at the interval after a Delon Armitage drop-goal and a close-range try from Nick Easter. Danny Cipriani landed two penalties in a mixed display but Australia sealed victory with Adam Ashley-Cooper's try. It was just reward for a combative and composed display from the Wallabies, superbly guided by fly-half Giteau, who overshadowed his England counterpart Cipriani. The visitors also admirably buried the ghosts of Twickenham 2005 and Marseille 2007, gaining parity up front and even winning a scrum penalty in the second half. Much of the build-up was dominated by the anticipated advantage that England might enjoy at the set-piece, but the first engagement between the two front rows in the opening minute was a mess. 606: DEBATE England's penalty count was off the wall and spoiled any flow to their game Aussie-Rugger South African referee Marius Jonker ordered it to be re-set twice before awarding Australia a free-kick at the third scrum. England started poorly, a series of unforced errors handing the Wallabies a 6-0 lead in as many minutes.

Tom Rees was penalised for going off his feet at a ruck, Giteau landing the penalty, while Lee Mears threw a risky long line-out for Danny Care, and Armitage put a nervous kick out on the full. When captain Steve Borthwick was caught offside running straight through a line-out, Giteau duly doubled the visitors' lead. If that was bad enough for the watching Johnson, the sight of Giteau motoring onto an overthrown line-out and into wide open spaces would hardly have brightened the England manager's mood. Fortunately for the hosts, Giteau's pass was knocked on by skipper Mortlock. Cipriani missed his first shot at goal when George Smith was penalised at the breakdown, but the 21-year-old fly-half brought the crowd to their feet with a tantalising glimpse of his talent. Cipriani made two superb breaks but was off target with some of his kicking Spotting two Australian forwards ahead of him, Cipriani surged between them and then left Luke Burgess on his behind before releasing Riki Flutey.

Flutey was snared but the ball was moved left to Mears, only for Giteau to force the hooker into touch in the left corner. England's first points came instead from an unlikely source, Armitage sizing up his options before landing a speculative drop-goal from 35m. But the hosts' indiscipline continued to undermine them, Vickery's hand in a ruck gifting Giteau another penalty before the fly-half made it 12-3 when England strayed offside trying to repel waves of Australian attacks. The red rose pack found some momentum as the first half drew to a close, their tight forwards finally making some inroads. Prop Andrew Sheridan was unable to ground the ball after a superb last-ditch tackle from Burgess, before Mears was again denied after an offload from Matt Stevens - temporarily on for Sheridan. But when the ball was recycled, Borthwick drove Easter over from a metre out. Cipriani was again off target with the conversion, but his penalty a minute before the break, and a missed attempt from Giteau, left England only a point adrift at the interval.

Cipriani's mixed afternoon continued on the resumption though, another scintillating break between two Wallaby forwards preceding a horrible missed drop-goal from barely 15m that Jonny Wilkinson would have landed in his sleep. We need to improve basics - Johnson He then missed another from further out, but England had already been awarded a penalty and this time the youngster was on target to put England in front for the first time at 14-12. But Care's charged-down kick immediately put them on the back foot again, Cipriani scrambling back to avert a potential Australian try after Nathan Sharpe's punt ahead to the line. The change in scrum fortunes was illustrated when prop Al Baxter, a victim against England in the past, won a penalty from Sheridan at the set-piece, which Giteau landed to regain the lead. His sixth successful kick at goal swiftly followed, and when Mortlock's monster penalty from just inside the England half drifted over in the 65th minute, Australia were in command at 21-14 up. A welter of England replacements had arrived either side of the hour mark to try to stem the green-and-gold tide.

But the Wallabies effectively sealed victory 12 minutes from time when Giteau, Ryan Cross and Mortlock combined to send Ashley-Cooper in for a swallow-dive at the right corner. Giteau landed the extras from wide out to put the seal on a polished individual performance. England: D Armitage (London Irish); P Sackey (Wasps), J Noon (Newcastle), R Flutey (Wasps), U Monye (Harlequins); D Cipriani (Wasps), D Care (Harlequins); A Sheridan (Sale Sharks), L Mears (Bath), P Vickery (Wasps), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), T Palmer (Wasps), T Croft (Leicester), T Rees (Wasps), N Easter (Harlequins).

Replacements: M Stevens (Bath - for Sheridan 33-40, for Vickery, 54, Vickery for Sheridan, 67), J Haskell (Wasps - for Easter, 59), S Shaw (Wasps - for Palmer 65), M Lipman (Bath - for Rees, 65), H Ellis (Leicester - for Care (67), D Hartley (Northampton - for Mears, 70), T Flood (Leicester - for Cipriani, 72). Australia: A Ashley-Cooper (ACT Brumbies); P Hynes (Queensland Reds), R Cross (Western Force), S Mortlock (ACT Brumbies, capt), D Mitchell (Western Force); M Giteau (Western Force), L Burgess (NSW Waratahs); B Robinson (NSW Waratahs), S Moore (Queensland Reds), A Baxter (NSW Waratahs), M Chisholm (ACT Brumbies), N Sharpe (Western Force), H McMeniman (Queensland Reds), G Smith (ACT Brumbies), R Brown (Western Force).

Replacements: W Palu (NSW Waratahs - for Brown, 45), D Mumm (NSW Waratahs - for Chisholm, 65), T Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs - for McMeniman, 80). Not Used: M Dunning (NSW Waratahs), S Cordingley (Queensland Reds), Q Cooper (Queensland Reds), D Ioane (Queensland Reds). Att: 80,688 Ref: M Jonker (South Africa). Bookmark with: Rugby World Cup 2011: England team guide | Sport | The Guardian Rugby World Cup 2011: England team guide Everything you need to know about Martin Johnson's men at the Rugby World Cup Matt Stevens, Dylan Hartley and Alex Corbisiero warm-up for the Rugby World Cup.

Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images Tuesday 6 September 2011 11.00 EDT First published on Tuesday 6 September 2011 11.00 EDT Share on Messenger Close 24 years in 140 characters: Got the drop on Australia to win in 03 but were denied by Aussie TMO in 07. Also finalists in 91 but took a whaling from Jonah four years on Coach: Martin Johnson Record in 2011: P8 W6 L2 World Cup record: 2003: Winners 2007: Runners-up How are they likely to get on? If the World Cup was being played in 12 months' time, England would be stronger contenders. As it is they are a team learning on the hoof, vulnerable to opponents who neutralise their forward strength. They should still finish top of the pool but both Argentina and Scotland may make it hard for them to generate any rhythm. The emergence of Manu Tuilagi, though, has finally presented Martin Johnson with a genuine midfield threat and if Ben Youngs and Courtney Lawes play to their full potential, England can certainly reach the last four.

Key player: Chris Ashton. When England are at their best, the Northampton wing seems to be everywhere. His support lines and try-scoring instincts could be the difference in tight games. Commentator's kit: Until the age of 16, the flanker Tom Croft was a member of the West Berkshire Youth Dance Group, studying contemporary, modern and street dancing. He says it contributed to his notable agility and suppleness.

Squad Dan Cole, prop, age 24, caps 17 Alex Corbisiero, prop, age 23, caps 6 Andrew Sheridan, prop, age 31, caps 38 Matt Stevens, prop, age 28, caps 34 David Wilson, prop, age 26, caps 18 Dylan Hartley, hooker, age 25, caps 29 Lee Mears, hooker, age 32, caps 37 Steve Thompson, hooker, age 33, caps 67 Louis Deacon, second-row, age 30, caps 24 Courtney Lawes, second-row, age 22, caps 9 Tom Palmer, second-row, age 32, caps 27 Simon Shaw, second-row, age 38, caps 67 Tom Croft, flanker, age 25, caps 25 James Haskell, flanker, age 26, caps 36 Lewis Moody (c), flanker, age 33, caps 67 Tom Wood, flanker, age 24, caps 7 Nick Easter, No8, age 33, caps 

44 Joe Simpson, scrum-half, age 23, caps 0 Richard Wigglesworth, scrum-half, age 28, caps 7 Ben Youngs, scrum-half, age 22, caps 12 Toby Flood, fly-half, age 26, caps 41 Jonny Wilkinson, fly-half, age 32, caps 86 Matt Banahan, wing, age 24, caps 13 Shontayne Hape, centre, age 30, caps 12 Mike Tindall, centre, age 32, caps 71 Manu Tuilagi, centre, age 20, caps 1 Chris Ashton, wing, age 24, caps 12 Mark Cueto, wing, age 31, caps 52 Delon Armitage, full-back, age 27, caps 21 Ben Foden, full-back, age 26, caps 16 Average age 26.7 Everything you need to know about the Romanian side at the Rugby World Cup Published: 6 Sep 2011 Everything you need to know about the improving Lelos at the Rugby World

 Cup Published: 6 Sep 2011 Everything you need to know about Andy Robinson's improving Scotland side at the Rugby World Cup Published: 6 Sep 2011 Everything you need to know about Namibia's World Cup squad Published: 6 Sep 2011 Hodgson, Mears retire from international rugby - Yahoo Sport More Sports Hodgson, Mears retire from international rugby Saracens fly-half Charlie Hodgson and Bath hooker Lee Mears have retired from international rugby after being told they do not feature in the future plans of England head coach Stuart Lancaster.

By PA Sport 28 June 2012 12:48 Eurosport   Hodgson won 38 England caps over an 11-year international career while Mears represented his country on 41 occasions and made one Test appearance for the British and Irish Lions, against South Africa in 2009. Lancaster spoke to both players during the summer tour of South Africa and they agreed that England need to blood younger players in their positions, with the 2015 Rugby World Cup in mind. "Firstly, both Charlie and Lee have been outstanding senior players in the last six months and I cannot thank them enough for the support they have given me and this young squad as we move forward," Lancaster said. "With 80 caps between them they have a vast amount of experience and that has been invaluable.

"I had chats with both of them in South Africa and our thoughts were not too dissimilar - that if we are building a team for 2015 then, just as we did in January, we have to decide on which players will take us forward and be in the mix in three years' time." Hodgson, 31, made his debut against Romania when he scored a national record 44 points but his international career never ran smoothly, with injury costing him a place at both the 2003 and the 2007 Rugby World Cups. The presence of Jonny Wilkinson meant Hodgson was often cast in the role of understudy, never able to stamp his authority on the team, although he did play in the centre alongside Wilkinson for two matches of England's 2003 Grand Slam campaign. Hodgson was selected for the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour and shone as part of the unbeaten midweek team, but his international career appeared to have hit the buffers in 2008, when his defensive frailties were brutally exposed by Ma'a Nonu on England's tour of New Zealand and he was dropped from the elite squad.

But Hodgson was also one of England's most naturally gifted playmakers, with an ability to play close to the line, and he returned to the national set-up last summer, only to miss out on a third World Cup selection when then-coach Martin Johnson opted to only take two fly-halves. After four years out of the starting team, Hodgson was reinstated as first choice fly-half at the start of the 2012 RBS 6 Nations and he scored charge-down tries in closely-fought victories over Scotland and Italy before slipping behind Saracens team-mate Owen Farrell and, more recently, Toby Flood in the pecking order. Hodgson said of the decision: "I have been very proud to represent England over the last 11 years. "Wearing the shirt has always been the highest honour for me, not least in the last six months, and no-one would want to give that up. "But Stuart and I came to the same conclusion that the time is right to let a new group of fly-halves take England forward.

"Saracens have been very good to me and been key to me getting back on the international scene and I can now fully focus on them, not to mention a young family." Mears added: "The memories of playing international rugby will live with me forever. "I feel privileged and proud to have experienced two World Cups and a British Lions tour and to have had outstanding team-mates. While I won't be a part of it, having seen what Stuart has implemented over the Six Nations and in South Africa, I am excited about the future of this group of players and English rugby and I wish them all the best. "I have at least one more year at Bath left and with a new coaching team I am excited about next season.” Stuart Lancaster: England coach leaves after World Cup failure - BBC Sport BBC Sport Stuart Lancaster: England coach leaves after World Cup failure 11 Nov 2015 From the section Rugby Union Share this page Media playback is not supported on this device The rise and fall of Stuart Lancaster Stuart Lancaster has left his post as England coach following the team's early exit from the World Cup. England became the first sole host nation to be eliminated in the group stage of a World Cup when they lost to Wales and Australia in Pool A.

"I ultimately accept and take responsibility for the team's performance," said Lancaster. Lancaster, 46, was made permanent coach in 2012 and won 28 of his 46 games, but failed to win the Six Nations. "I took on the role in difficult circumstances and it has been a huge challenge to transition the team with many hurdles along the way," he added. "However, I am immensely proud of the development of this team and I know that there is an incredibly strong foundation for them to progress to great things in the future. "We have played some excellent rugby and it was always going to be tough to get the right level of experience into them in time for 2015. It is a young group of players with the huge majority available for the World Cup in Japan in 2019, where I believe their recent experience will make them genuine contenders." RFU chief on Lancaster's exit A review into England's performance at the World Cup took place after the tournament, with Rugby Football Union chief executive Ian Ritchie stating Lancaster agreed he should step down from his role.

''The Rugby World Cup was hugely disappointing for everyone associated with the England team and the subsequent review into the team's performance was always intended to be extremely comprehensive, which it has been," said Ritchie. Media playback is not supported on this device England launch 'global' coach hunt "Following the review, Stuart and I met, where we agreed that he should step down as head coach. This was subsequently ratified by the RFU board." Reaction to Lancaster's exit Former England international Andy Goode: "We were all excited pre-World Cup. But it was obviously a failure and, as he said, it was his responsibility. I am not surprised by the decision. It is probably the right one. There are some great coaches in the set-up, who need to be looked at." Former England and Bath hooker Lee Mears: "I wonder if they could have kept him in the RFU somewhere. You can't waste all that experience. It's very reactive and causes a load of havoc." 2003 World Cup winner Will Greenwood: "I look back on it and I see the style in which Australia and New Zealand play, averaging 65 caps in that final.

I just think that the young team were overawed." Former England player Brian Moore on Twitter: "Lancaster takes responsibility for RWC exit and stands down - always knew he was a honourable man." Former Wales fly-half Jonathan Davies: "I think he was trying to put the right pieces into place but selection unfortunately was his downfall." Rugby union commentator Ian Robertson on BBC Radio 5 live "England had a desperately disappointing World Cup. Lancaster had lots of highs, but the World Cup was a bitter disappointment for him, the England team and its followers. "Name a qualified English coach who could take over and do a better job? I can't name you one. If for the first time ever England go for a foreign coach the obvious answer is Eddie Jones, who took Japan to three wins out of four - including beating South Africa. I can't name one who would be better in England than Stuart Lancaster." Key problems? Inexperienced players - England had the youngest squad in the competition with an average age of 26.2. Each player averaged 25 caps, the second fewest in Pool A. Of Lancaster's first squad of 32, only 12 made it to the World Cup.

Missing senior stars - Prior to the World Cup, Lancaster chose not to pick Manu Tuilagi and Dylan Hartley because of on- and off-field offences. Overlooking overseas - Lancaster stuck to the 'no overseas rule' so he omitted Toulon's 2014 European Player of the Year Steffon Armitage and the 2015 award recipient Clermont Auvergne's Nick Abendanon. Selection - Bath player Sam Burgess, who had only 10 months of union experience and has since returned to rugby league, was picked ahead of Northampton's Luther Burrell who was an ever-present in the last Six Nations campaign. England's management were blamed for fast-tracking him into the squad. Opposition - Former RFU chief Martyn Thomas said Lancaster was not the right man for the job because of his inexperience of coaching at the top level. Ex-internationals Mark Cueto and Kyran Bracken called for Lancaster to leave his role after the World Cup. Results - Lancaster won 16 of the 20 Six Nations matches he coached but failed to win the titles. And against the big three southern hemisphere sides he only won three from 15. What happens next?

There is no word yet from the RFU on the future of Lancaster's coaching team of Andy Farrell, Graham Rowntree and Mike Catt. The full World Cup review will be presented to an RFU board meeting on 17 November. The search will then begin for a replacement for Lancaster in time for next year's Six Nations, with England opening their campaign away to Scotland on 6 February. Those linked with the vacant position include Australia's Michael Cheika, former Wallabies and Japan coach Eddie Jones, Wales boss Warren Gatland and Ireland's Joe Schmidt. Share this page The history of England in Australia: From the Battle of Ballymore to the Tour of Hell - and Jonny Wilkinson's drop goal The history of England in Australia: From the Battle of Ballymore to the Tour of Hell - and Jonny Wilkinson's drop goal Rob Andrew in action in 1988 Credit: Getty Images 1963: Australia 1-0 England June 4 1963: Australia 18-9 England, Sydney England’s first ever game Down Under was played in treacherous, wet conditions that made running rugby all but impossible.

The expectation was that England’s front-row superiority would prove decisive, but that was not the case as a youthful Australian side blew them away. As the Daily Mirror put it: “The youthful 1963 Wallabies yesterday splashed to a marvellous new page in Australian rugby union history.” England player Budge Rogers, 1964 Credit: Getty Images 1975: Australia 2-0 England May 24 1975: Australia 16-9 England, Sydney Mike Burton (foreground) in action for Gloucestershire during their County Championship quarter-final match against Hertfordshire at the Memorial Ground in Bristol, 11th January 1975. Credit: Getty Images May 31 1975: Australia 30-21 England, Ballymore England opted for a woeful side to tour Australia in 1975, which the hosts saw as a slight. Their retribution was violent in the extreme.

After the Wallabies had edged the first Test they decided to up the ante at the start of the second, launching a series of vicious, physical attacks on the England players in what was to become known as ‘The Battle of Ballymore’. Mike Burton retaliated, and the prop became the first Englishman to be sent off in an international. He would later tell ESPN: “The first thing to say about the Battle of Ballymore when I became the first Englishman to be sent off - and this was after 103 years of international rugby - is that I never, ever had any regrets about what I did. "It was the second Test of a brutal series in which Australia set out to treat us like dogs; the opening stages of the second Test were like a war, they were kicking and punching everything as if it was a war - as if on a pre-arranged signal. The scenes were astonishing.” That, astonishingly, was after just three minutes’ play. Bill Beaumont was forced to spend the rest of the game at prop and England couldn’t cope as they returned home badly beaten.

1987 Rugby World Cup Pool Stage MAY 23, 1987: Peter Winterbottom of England (left) prepares to tackle Simon Poidevin (with the ball) who is being held by Richard Harding as Wade Dooley and Nigel Redman move in to help Credit: Getty Images May 23 1987: Australia 19-6 England, Sydney Where is the TMO when you need him? This would not be the last time these two sides would meet in a World Cup on Australian soil, and England were left feeling hugely aggrieved after a woeful refereeing decision. England were on top and leading until David Campese’s try, and to say the grounding was questionable would be underplaying it somewhat. The score itself is from around 4.40 in the video below, and it was blindingly obvious ‘Campo’ had lost the ball well before the tryline – only for the score to be awarded anyway. Australia went on to win, and England were soon home with their tails between their legs after a quarter-final exit to Wales.

1988: Australia 2-0 England May 29 1988: Australia 22-16 England, Ballymore Rob Andrew clears for England Credit: Getty Images June 12 1988: Australia 28-8 England, Sydney In hindsight, the two-Test defeat to Australia may have been a blessing for English rugby. The tourists played nine games on their tour to Australia and Fiji, but these were the two that counted. The first was a close-run affair, but the second Test in Sydney was a disaster as England slumped to a record defeat. There were immediate recriminations, with Will Carling said to be feeling he could do a far better job as captain that John Orwin, the incumbent. Geoff Cooke, the coach, agreed and Carling was in place for the return game with Australia that Autumn, which England would go on to win 28-19.

Nick Farr-Jones clings onto the ball Credit: Getty Images 1991: Australia 1-0 England July 27 1991: Australia 40-15 England, Sydney The Carling-Cooke brains axis would end up taking England to the 1991 World Cup Final – although few would have put money on that outcome when they saw what the tourists were subjected to in Sydney two months before the start of the tournament. England were torn apart in Sydney as Australia eased to a comfortable win. England’s confidence was rocked, but they turned it to their advantage by playing a safety-first game that took them to the Final – where they would meet the Wallabies again. England tried to surprise them by reverting to an expansive gameplan, but it backfired as they lost at Twickenham to give Australia their first World Cup. Chris Oti of England (centre) is stopped by Martin Roebuck and Tim Horan of Australia Credit: getty images 1998: Australia 1-0 England June 6 1998: Australia 76-0 England, Brisbane The tour from hell, and the result from hell.

With all manner of absentees Sir Clive Woodward named five debutants for the game in Brisbane, and there should be a prize for guessing all of them: Spencer Brown, Steve Ravenscroft, Ben Sturnham, Scott Benton and Richard Pool-Jones. A certain Jonny Wilkinson made his first international start but England fell apart as Australia ran in four first-half tries and seven more in the second period. England would go on to lose the remaining six games of the tour, including to the likes of New Zealand Maori and New Zealand Rugby Academy – but Woodward later felt it was the making of many of his players. Jonny Wilkinson made his first international start on the Tour of Hell Credit: Getty Images 1999: Australia 1-0 England June 26 1999: Australia 22-15 England, Sydney The Centenary Test saw the two sides don unfamiliar strips in Sydney, but it was a familiar story as Australia triumphed once again. England demonstrated how much they had improved since 1998 as Matt Perry scored twice, but a double from Ben Tune and Joe Roff’s effort secured another victory for Australia.

Joe Roff tries to break through Richard Hill's attempted tackle Credit: Getty Images 2003: Australia 0-1 England June 21 2003: Australia 14-25 England, Melbourne An England victory at long, long last! This was the team that Sir Clive Woodward built and this was the moment they genuinely believed they could win the World Cup. Victory over New Zealand the previous Saturday had been important, but this win – secured thanks to tried from Will Greenwood, Mike Tindall and Ben Cohen – marked England out as the world’s best side and strengthened their resolve ahead of their greatest test. The fact it also came against an Australian side managed by Eddie Jones will no doubt be raised in the coming weeks as well. Ben Cohen runs clear to score Credit: Getty Images 2003 World Cup Final Nov 22 2003: Australia 17-20 England, Sydney That greatest test was to come just five months later, in Sydney. From Jason Robinson’s try to Jonny Wilkinson’s drop-goal and the moment when Martin Johnson lifted the World Cup, the key moments are etched in the memory of every England rugby fan.

No matter what England go on to achieve on Australian soil, 2003 will never be beaten. Captain Martin Johnson holds aloft the Webb Ellis Cup Credit: AP 2004: Australia 1-0 England June 26 2004: Australia 51-15 England, Brisbane Australia gained a measure of revenge just a year later as they scored six tries in a comprehensive victory in Brisbane. A much-changed England side responded with tries from Richard Hill and Lawrence Dallaglio but Australia were too good as Clyde Rathbone scoring a hat-trick and Jeremy Paul grabbing a brace. Lawrence Dallaglio, the England captain, encourages his team Credit: getty images 2006: Australia 2-0 England June 11 2006: Australia 34-3 England, Sydney Mike Catt looks on as England fall to defeat Credit: getty images June 17 2006: Australia 43-18 England, Melbourne England’s return to the scene of their World Cup triumph was a bruising experience as their young side was hammered in Sydney before collapsing in Melbourne as a long season took its toll.

By the end of the tour England has suffered five consecutive Test defeats and Andy Robinson was coming under the type of pressure that would eventually cost him his job. Lee Mears, the England hooker is tackled by George Smith of Australia Credit: Getty Images 2010: Australia 1-1 England

Question: In which position does England Rugby Union international Lee Mears play?
Answer: HOOKER